Wilmington Dive and Weather Conditions

[Steve_C]

Dang. We were going to try again this coming weekend. Frying Pan Tower and the Greg Mickey. Got blown out again.

Too bad you were not able to hop onto the early dredge /stone trip at 11 am. Had nice water, the big boat, and decent viz for an inshore site. I put a trip report and some photos over on RAD (Raleigh Area Divers) and my personal web page which is pretty much limited ot diving.

 

[Clark Fletcher]

Thanks Steve. I'll check it out. Since we got blown out for Saturday, we've decided to make the trip to Fantasy Lake and slip in a few dive there. I've never been there before so, it'll be something different for me.

 

[Dan]

Nice video and pictures and write up. Gill is one of my NC favorites. The room on the stern of the Hyde where you shot the video is always interesting. Lots of critters on the floor if you can take your eyes off the big guys. I also prefer the AS I over the AS II. The sea bass picture is a black sea bass.

Thanks for the tips. I looked the wreck's stern floor next time.

That was my first time to see the black sea bass. I took a shot of the schooling sea bass. Good eating fish?

 

[Steve_C]

That was my first time to see the black sea bass. I took a shot of the schooling sea bass. Good eating fish?

They are popular with fisherman especially some of the inshore head boats. You can also catch them bottom fishing along the coast or in the sounds. Lot of head, but the meat is good and they are quick to take bait, almost any kind of bait. Sometimes on the wrecks you will see lots of them all over the place. They also hit jigs.

 

[Steve_C]

Two spot cardinal, floor of the stern room in June.

 

[Dan]

Two spot cardinal, floor of the stern room in June.

View attachment 425434

Nice find

 

[Dan]

While I get you hooked on this thread, could you identify this fish?

 

[Steve_C]

While I get you hooked on this thread, could you identify this fish?
View attachment 425462

Belted Sandfish. Member of the seabass family. Pretty little fish and not at all scared of divers. See a lot of them if you look closely.

 

[Steve_C]

The REEF surveys list 118 species identified on the Hyde. I think that number is now slightly higher.

 

[Dan]

Belted Sandfish. Member of the seabass family. Pretty little fish and not at all scared of divers. See a lot of them if you look closely.

Cool! Thanks! The way it likes to sit on corals or walls, it reminds me of hawkfish.